Album Review

Another in Universal's series of Brazilian pop music anthologies, the Maria Bethania volume skims over three decades and some 30 albums of music in just 14 tracks. The sister of genius singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso, the throaty-voiced Bethania falls more in the tradition of the chanteuse, acting out the lyrics and crunching the syllables in a harsher manner than most Brazilian female singers who are known in North America. There are lushly orchestrated ballads ("Costumes," "Todo O Sentimento"), folk-like numbers, some outbreaks of bossa nova, and only one song by her brother, "Reconvexo," which turns out to be the pick of the collection. Unfortunately, the North American (or even Brazilian) listener may not be able to make much sense of the booklet, where the untranslated Portuguese lyrics are printed in microscopic black-on-red type with each line sprawling horizonally over three pages. As is typical in this series, there are no liner notes or recording details other than the approximate years of the copyrights. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi

Customer Reviews

Speechless

by
Kwendy8

I honestly did not get to listen the all album because I got stucked on the first song which I was constantly repeating it. This woman is just unbeliveable. I can't believe I did not see any other comment but I am glad I am first one to do it. You are so.... Maria Speechless! and thats the reason I give you four stars! I would give six to it because thats something people should really have.

Biography

Born: June 18, 1946 in Santo Amaro da Purificação, Brazi

Genre: MPB

Years Active: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s

Maria Bethânia, sister of Caetano Veloso, is a renowned singer on her own. Her scenic, dramatic abilities, in a profoundly Brazilian tradition, make her performances quite personal, which has...